Though Martin Abrams never served as an officer of the Merrick Fire Department, he was someone younger volunteers looked up to. He led by example, never complained and strived to do the right thing, according to ex-chief Paul Waterman.
For 53 years, Abrams’s calming influence inspired his fellow firefighters to do the job with respect and regard for themselves and their community, solidifying a legacy that will live on. Abrams died at home on Aug. 7. He was 86.
Abrams lived in Merrick for the past 60 years. He moved to the community from Lakeview-West Hempstead shortly after he and his wife, Agnes, were married in 1954 — he proposed to her three months after meeting her. “He’s irreplaceable,” she said. “The years went so fast with all the amazing times we had together. He was an absolutely fantastic person.”